For All The Joy You Brought To My Life
by SeveningTree
Summary: Caroline meets Stefan in the woods instead. They have many other exchanges from then on, but these are three significant moments. They are meant for forever, and she knows she would only choose him.


**Let's not talk about the horrid writing happening on the show right now. Let's just focus on these two. They are my OTP, and I will stick by them. Always. This story was incredibly spontaneous and short. But I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

_._

_for all the wrong that you made right._

_._

She walked around in the forest aimlessly. Everyone was somewhat celebrating Katherine's impending death. She didn't know what to feel about it – partially relieved, a little numb, half ignorant, mostly exhausted.

So she roamed around, sinking herself in her thoughts, waiting. Waiting for something good to happen. Waiting for the happiness to come. Waiting for someone to fulfil that need.

"Caroline."

She turned, quickly, but not overly abruptly.

"Stefan," she whispered, his name a breath on her lips.

He smiled at her. He knew where she was, nearly always.

"You alright?" he asked, the perfect best friend. She could never be grateful enough for his presence in her life.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. It was hard to explain. But she knew even if she didn't say anything more, he would understand. And he did.

He nodded, a sad smile playing again on his face. "How about you?" she asked him, realising that he must be a little bit sombre, even if Katherine was no longer _the _love of his life.

She walked towards him, shoulders slouched. He shrugged in response to her question, eventually speaking, "Another day, another possible death. Remember how I asked you how people move on? I think that sometimes I want to move on in more ways than one; in more _measures _than one."

She knew what he meant. "And you will, Stefan. Haven't you begun?"

"How?" he asked, softly. "There's always death around me. We're constantly fighting to save someone from dying, rather than celebrating life. It's so rare, that feeling."

"The feeling of being alive?" she questioned.

"Yeah," he affirmed. "Sometimes I genuinely believe that I only feel alive when I'm around you."

His statement held her captive in his gaze for a good few seconds, and she stared at him, the words sinking deep into her heart.

She smiled at him, brightness encasing her beautiful features. "You always know how to make me feel better."

He grinned. "At least I know I have something to live and fight for."

"Me? Really?" she asked, teasing.

"No, not you. Not everything's about you, Caroline Forbes," he said sarcastically.

She jabbed him in the ribs. He laughed.

"Well if it makes you feel better even more," he continued, "I'll live and fight with you, Caroline."

She smiled again. "You've already done that, Stefan," she said. "That and much more."

She held his hands, both in her own. Then she slipped her arm around his and they walked together, farther into the woods.

* * *

_Many years later_

It was another forest, in another country. They left Mystic Falls. She was in her bridal gown, one with lace sleeves, an off-shoulder look and a long but streamlined silk and chiffon off-white dress. Her golden curls were half-tied up, half-let down. She looked like a princess from a faraway kingdom. She hadn't worn her veil yet; it was sitting in her make-up room back in the cottage.

Their wedding ceremony was going to begin in less than an hour, and she was nervous. She was so happy, but she was so anxious for everything to be just right. She hadn't lost her penchant for perfection and her desire for things to happen exactly as she imagined them.

So to prevent herself from hyperventilating, she stepped away into the forest, stunning gown and all. She walked slowly, drawing to a stop when she caught a view of all the people, all her friends, all _their friends_, waiting in the large field of flowers, chit-chatting until it was time for the ceremony to start.

She looked at them, and realised she didn't need everything to be perfect, because it already was.

A hand slipped around her waist, and the smell of his cologne floated to envelope her senses.

"Stefan…" she trailed off, feeling his breath on her neck as he inhaled her in. She was not only beautiful; she was a vision – and she smelled of white roses and lilies of the valley. She smiled, giggling just a bit at his touch.

"You are amazing, Caroline," he said to her, whispering ever so softly into her ear.

She grinned, because he was not supposed to see her yet, but she didn't care anymore.

He held her hand and turned her around, admiring how gorgeous his fiancée looked.

"You're not so bad yourself," she said, realising that she was a very lucky girl indeed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, always caring about her.

"Much better now," she admitted. "I thought I needed everything to be perfect but I came to the realisation that it already is, because I have you, Stefan. It's all that matters. Life or death, day or night, no matter _what_ happens."

He smiled lovingly at her. "You have me," he repeated to her. "Always."

They eventually decided to exchange their vows in that forest, away from the crowd. They did the actual ceremony where all their friends whooped and cheered, but in their minds, the real thing happened already, where it was just the marriage celebrant and two of them, never taking their eyes off each other.

* * *

_Many, many years later_

"You know, I really never thought I'd actually move on," he voiced to her, pondering.

They were strolling, hand-in-hand, in another forest, in another country. Their adopted daughter and son, aged 6 and 11 respectively, were playing with each other while walking in front of them.

"Really? After all these years, you tell me now?" she made a mock-disbelief look.

He snickered. "Well, really, yes," he said seriously. "Everything was always death all around me. I never thought I'd have the possibility of seeing life grow instead."

She nodded, understanding.

"I meant it, all those years ago, when I said that you were the reason I felt alive. You still are."

She looked up at him, loving every line on his face. They didn't look much older, but they had aged in experience. And she knew, with every fibre of her being, that he was the _only one _she would ever choose to spend her life with. No matter who else pursued her and fought for her, there was only _one person _she would say yes to. And it was Stefan Salvatore. Because Caroline Forbes knew that there was no one else who knew her better than he did. And she would fight _for _him in return, everyday, as long as she lived.

They kissed then, memories of all their previous kisses and precious moments encapsulated with the touch of their lips.

"I love you, Stefan."

"I love you, Caroline."

"I love you _more._"

"Oh, but I loved you _first_."

"Ah! How dare you."

But then he kissed her again, and again, and again, and their two children played obliviously around them, joy and laughter filling the air.

There was no more death – only life, and life forever.

* * *

**I hope this made you Steroline fans feel better. Do let me know your thoughts (reviews are always nice) and thank you for reading. Cheers.**


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